Christine O'Donnell FBI Probe: Witch Hunt or Legitimate?

By Elspeth Reeve

Is Christine O'Donnell a criminal? Now the FBI is investigating the failed Senate candidate
for possible misuse of campaign funds, O'Donnell is defending herself by
saying the charges have no merit and are part of a
nefarious plot against her by her political enemies, including, she suggests,
Joe Biden. It sounds crazy, but could she be right?

Being Accused Doesn't Make Her Guilty Slate's Weigel writes,
"Most of the allegations against O'Donnell concern campaign spending
from her previous campaign account, but an investigation was assumed to
be coming as soon as CREW weighed in. This is why [her spokesman] ranted
a bit to ABC News about the flimsiness or political motivation of the
CREW case. The O'Donnell campaign's explanation for the use of fund was
always an eyebrow-raiser, but it's only been a month since CREW's last
FEC complaint, against John Ensign, was dismissed. 'Hit by complaint
filed by CREW' does not always (or typically) mean 'guilty of violating
law.'"

O'Donnell Should Blame Republicans, Not Democrats, conservative blogger Robert Stacy McCain
writes. "The FEC usually handles campaign-finance
investigations in a quiet manner and it is seldom much of a headline
when the FEC imposes a fine. More importantly, nine times out of 10,
violations are only really newsworthy when they involve the winner of an
election. ... The attempt to inflate this investigation into a big
story... via leaks prominently featuring anonymous Delaware Republicans
most likely represents the state GOP’s desire to drive a stake through
O’Donnell’s political heart. It’s spiteful and pathetic."

The Press Is Eager to Convict, American Spectator's Aaron Goldstein
muses. "If O'Donnell is
under federal investigation shouldn't the FBI apprise O'Donnell before
they tell the AP? ... If she is under federal investigation she has the
constitutional right to face her accusers and call their evidence into
question. The onus is on the federal government to prove her guilt.
However, as far as the mainstream media goes, O'Donnell has already been
tried and convicted."

Not a Crook, Just an Idiot, FireDogLake's TBogg
writes. "When it comes to the misuse of campaign funds, I think
O’Donnell sincerely believes that the people who gave her money to run
for office gave it to her with the understanding that she is doing God’s
work no matter how long it takes and a rent payment here and an evening
of bowling there are just a place to stay and a thing to do during The
Perpetual Campaign of Righteousness, for she is the embodiment of the
contributors hopes and desires. They want her to use it as she sees fit.
Sure she’s making a living off of the yokels much like Sarah Palin
does, but she lacks the white trash feral cynicism of a Palin.
O’Donnell’s no Grifter Grizzly, she’s more Blanche Dubois; spiritually
pure, lost in a fantasy and depending on the kindness of strangers."

Interesting Conspiracy Theory, Time's Michael Scherer
notes. "That's right. She thinks Biden is sending the G-Men after a
Republican candidate who has done more to help the Delaware Democratic
Party than, well, just about anybody since Biden."

These Investigations Happen to Everyone, Pat Buchanan
said on MSNBC, as noted by The Daily Caller's Jeff Poor. "Every
campaign I’ve been in, they’ve got auditors come walking in afterwards.
They go over the books for months and then they say, 'Look at this, look
at this, look at this.' You’re going to be fined. Even Hillary Clinton
got it. ... And if the FBI, quite frankly, and the federal prosecutors
are looking into whether this woman paid her rent with campaign funds,
then they don’t have much to do."

Huge Surprise, Wonkette's Jack Steuf
jokes. "Isn’t it strange how a person who has earned no income over the
past half-decade and yet is not living on the streets could be charged
with any kind of financial fraud? Same old lamestream FBI bullshit. If
you listen to the real FBI, the one made by O’Donnell out of pipe
cleaners and dragon blood, she’s actually been too good with her
finances, and the FBI that’s charging her should be the ones thrown in
prison."